Yesterday I set the alarm clock. I was not going to be thwarted again from my quest to check off an item from my "Things to do if you ever go back to Paris" list. (Joe - I know it's killing you not to make a salty comment here).
I arrived at the Opera Garnier in plenty of time to make the 11:30am English guided tour. While waiting for the tour to begin I had a nice conversation with a couple from Israel. They are renting an apartment for a week, which I tried and failed to arrange for this trip. The wife said it is much nicer than a hotel (and cheaper, too). If only I had done a better job planning ahead.
The guided version of the tour was well worth the extra few dollars I paid. I did not know that this place was the origin for the Phantom of the Opera story. Or that Emperor Napoleon III commissioned the opera house because someone tried to assassinate him at the old one and he really didn't want to go back. The new one took 14 years to build and by the time it was completed he had been banished from France. Ah, the pros and cons of being Emperor. Pro - you get to commission a beautiful new opera house because you don't want to go to the old one. Con - you might never get to go inside because you've been overthrown.
They were decorating the Opera House for a special New year's Eve ballet performance. Tickets were still available for only 180 euros. I decided to pass.
The picture is from the auditorium ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.
3 comments:
Sorry your New Year's didn't go exactly as you'd hoped or planned, but it's still a story to tell, that's for sure!
LOVE the pictures you're including!! Very beautiful! Good call on going on the tour of the opera house, too. So cool!
Happy New Year, Chris!
Heather
HI Chris- Its so cool you made this adventure to Europe again. Winter anywhere isnt as fun as the summer but you still seem to have been able to see and experience things more exciting then in Illinois. My biggest adventure so far in this new year, 2009, is a trip to Bass Pro Shop and lunch at Panera. Enjoy your time and eat some profiteroles while you are there, is taht how you spell it??. Hey, Joe and I thought of you in Paris on New Years eve as we went to Mon Ami Gabi(that French Lettuce Entertain you restaurant in Oakbrook) We toasted with some wine that you were enjoying yourself across the world.
Compared to my first visit here, this trip has been pretty laid back. I think I've got three more things on my list that I would like to do and then I can leave happy.
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